Manchester United and Jose Mourinho will clear the way for Barcelona to sign Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.

Manchester United had been heavily linked to the La Liga star but a recent report from the Spanish outlet Marca has stated that Mourinho will encourage the United board to step-aside and to not engage in a bidding war with Barcelona over Griezmann.

Just last summer the Express reported that Barcelona has been unsuccessful with a £124m bid for the Frenchman but it now looks as though there could be no hurdles in the way of the Barca officials in their attempts to bring Griezmann to the Camp Nou.

The news will certainly be a blow to United fans who had undoubtedly grown excited at the prospect of the Red Devils signing the French star.

It comes in the same week that United failed to win their third successive fixture. The Red Devils were knocked out of the League Cup by Championship side Bristol City last week and then went on to draw two consecutive league fixtures against Leicester City and Burnley.